How to Make a Temperature Blanket
A temperature blanket records a year of weather in yarn. Each day you work one row, in the color that matches that day’s temperature. This guide covers six steps, for crochet or knitting.
1. Choose the place and the temperature
Pick a city: where you live, or somewhere you love. Then decide what to record: the daily high, the daily low or the average of the two. The high is the most common. The planner finds the nearest weather station and loads the real values, so you do not have to check a weather site each day.
2. Set temperature ranges
Divide the year’s range into bands, usually eight to ten. A band every 5 to 10°F is typical. Colder climates have a bigger span and need wider bands. A balanced split puts about the same number of days in each color.
3. Choose the colors
Give each band a yarn color, running from cold to hot. Pick the same yarn weight and fiber for all of them. See palettes for starting points, and write down the shade you will use for each band.
4. Work out the yarn
Decide the width, the stitch and the rows per day. Swatch to find your gauge, then use the yarn calculator for yards and skeins per color. Buy a spare skein for colors near a boundary.
5. Make the chart
Keep the chart where you will see it: ranges and colors at the top, then the day-by-day table. See the chart page. Mark each day when you have worked it.
6. Work a row a day
Start on January 1 with a foundation chain or cast-on of the width you planned. Each day, work one row (or your chosen rows per day) in that day’s color, and carry the yarn up the side, or cut and weave the ends. If you miss a few days, catch up from the table, which is why a table of every date helps.
Crochet or knit; the planner handles both. The free planner covers any city and year, up to 8 color bands, the preview, counts and a daily table. The Planner Pack ($3.99, one-time) adds the printable chart, checklist and yarn list. See pricing.
Questions
Can I do a temperature blanket in crochet or knit?
Both work the same way. Pick the craft in the planner and it sets a typical gauge and yards per stitch for each, which you can change.
How many rows per day?
Most people do one row per day. Two rows per day makes a bigger, warmer blanket and doubles the yarn, and some people use one row for the high and one for the low. Change “Rows per day” and the length and yarn update.
How many colors should I use?
Eight to ten is common: each color covers about 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Fewer colors make bold, long stripes. More colors show small changes but need more yarn colors to buy and more ends to weave in.
What if I fall behind?
Use the daily table to catch up: it lists the color for every date, so you can work several rows in a sitting.
Can I plan a blanket before the year starts?
Yes. Choose 2027 (starts Jan 1) and the planner shows a preview made from 2025 weather at the same station, clearly labeled, so you can choose colors and buy yarn early.